It was an emotional night for Barry Town United as they lifted the Nathaniel MG Cup following a difficult period off the pitch for the Jenner Park club.
The Linnets earned a famous 2-0 victory over cup holders The New Saints at the DragonBet Stadium, stunning the serial trophy winners with a professional and assured performance.
It comes after club chairman Mark Barrett and midfielder Eliot Richards were both diagnosed with cancer in recent months, while captain Callum Sainty lost his father in January.
The New Saints 0-2 Barry Town United
Speaking after the game, Director of Football Steve Jenkins explained just what lifting the trophy meant to the club.
“We’ve been through a lot over the last three, four months as a club, with Eliot, the chairman, Callum losing his dad. It’s hit us hard. From the outside looking in, you wouldn’t think it, but we’re such a tight group.
“I want to dedicate this to the chairman. I’m so proud that we could deliver for him. We’re a family. I want to thank the fans, not just for tonight, but for every week when they turn up and cheer us on. Hopefully we can use this as a platform now to kick on.”
Sainty, who made his 250th appearance for Barry in the final, spoke about the loss of his father five weeks ago.
“It’s a cliché but I know he’s watching, I know he’s looking down on us and he’d be absolutely buzzing. So I’m going to enjoy this evening, because with the lows there comes a lot of highs.”
Lifting the Nathaniel MG Cup ended Barry’s 23-year wait for a piece of major silverware. Once a club that dominated the Welsh domestic game, the Linnets fell to the brink of oblivion and nearly ceased to exist, but have risen from the ashes to establish themselves as a top-flight side once again. Now they have their hands back on a trophy.
“This club is unbelievable,” Sainty said. “There’s so many people who support us, they follow us everywhere. It’s an amazing evening.
“We know about the history of the club. We know where the club used to be, firing on all fronts and winning lots of trophies.
“I’ve been a here a long time. You want to win things, of course you do. But it’s one thing wanting to win and then going on to do it. The lads have been unbelievable all year and it’s nothing more than we deserve tonight.”
The star of the show at the DragonBet Stadium was 19-year-old Ieuan Owen, who scored both of Barry’s goals and terrorised the TNS defence all evening.
“He’s ran his socks off,” Jenkins said. “He’s probably Man of the Match by a country mile. He’s a great kid, he wants to learn, he’s hungry and he’s just a superb player to be around. But not just him, we’ve got a really good group, a fantastic group of lads.”
